


tremor

by 875857



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-06
Updated: 2012-09-06
Packaged: 2017-11-13 16:28:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 299
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/505483
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/875857/pseuds/875857
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“I don’t want to die.” Merlin whispers, hand feebly grasping at the fabric of Arthur’s shirt.</p>
            </blockquote>





	tremor

“I don’t want to die.” Merlin whispers, hand feebly grasping at the fabric of Arthur’s shirt.

Arthur knows he should shove the hand away, should stand up and turn away from the exhausted body of the scared, dirty, beaten man - sorcerer, _monster_ \- that was once his manservant. But he doesn’t, silently staring into Merlin’s glazed over blue eyes.

He doesn’t know what he expects to see. Maybe anger, hatred, or deceit of any sort. Maybe the fierce, striking gold that he’s never seen but knows can kill a man, maybe an army - but no, nothing of the sort.

Just the clammy pallor of a tired, gaunt man, expression pained - but still partially unclear to Arthur.

“ _I don’t want to die_ \- ” he repeats, voice cracking as he tries to swallow.

Arthur nearly opens his mouth to comfort him, his chest tightening at Merlin’s pain, but he’s interrupted by the hand in his shirt moving to cup his face. Light, gentle, tentative - the barest brush of fingers ghosting against his cheek, and when Arthur doesn’t flinch or move away, they become braver. Merlin’s thumb rubs under Arthur’s eye, looking up at him with a small smile.

And then he realizes two things.

One, Merlin is looking at him with love. Soft and adoring, and Arthur wonders what the hell he did to make Merlin look at him like that. And two, Merlin’s sentence was previously incomplete.

“I don’t _want_ to _die_ \- “ he chokes, gasps, coughs a little and Arthur’s hands decide they want to move, one moving to cover Merlin’s hand on his face. The other goes to Merlin’s dry, cracked lips, wiping away a bit of blood he coughed up. Arthur tries to be careful, and he nearly screams for Gaius. “ - but for you, _Arthur_ , for _you_ \- “

Arthur wakes up.


End file.
